Today's Preparation, Tomorrow's Success: Teacher Cath Shana

What was just supposed to be part-time teaching became a full-time opportunity for teacher Cath Shana. As far as she is concerned, 51Talk prepared and helped her to become a thriving online English teacher today and for life.

Before teacher Cath Shana found success at 51Talk, she was an English teacher in China. At the age of 23, she worked overseas, leaving her husband and child behind here in the Philippines. It was not easy for her, but her sacrifice enabled her to support her family financially.

Fortunately, she was able to come home for a vacation weeks before the COVID-19 virus was reported in China. However, because of the travel ban, she could not go back to China for work. That’s when she thought of looking for temporary teaching opportunities while waiting for the ban to be lifted.

It was difficult for her to find work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, one of her friends who is teaching at 51Talk recommended the platform to her. Just days after filling out her referral form, teacher Cath Shana had a phone interview with 51Talk. After that, she went through the rest of the recruitment process which includes a technical check and teacher training. The training helped her learn new things that she could add to her teaching repertoire.

After a speedy recruitment process, she officially joined 51Talk as a part-time online English teacher. Three days after starting at 51Talk, students were already booking her for lessons. Recalling her first few lessons, teacher Cath Shana said, “I did my best in my first-ever lesson, and I got regular students after. I was really positive that 51Talk [would] help me during this pandemic. That’s why I put in extra effort and did not stop teaching.”

However, it was still a rough start for her. At times, she would experience power interruptions and Internet connection loss. Even when she tried her best to be a reliable teacher, unexpected factors like these hindered her from providing the best service. Despite these challenges, teacher Cath Shana never gave up and even decided to teach full-time. Her recruitment up to her early days of teaching on the platform all prepared her to become better at being an online English teacher.

As a result, teacher Cath Shana is currently enjoying the fruits of her labor. Through 51Talk, she can continue supporting the small piggery business she started while still working overseas. She also became a big help to her family who was financially affected by the pandemic. Lastly, she takes advantage of her extra income to save money for future use.

But above all, teaching at 51Talk allowed teacher Cath Shana to work safely inside her home, spend more time with her family, and manage her time. She says, “I get to see my family every day and I realize that I don’t need to go far to earn money. This is truly a blessing from above.”

With her family by her side, she is always motivated to be her best in all things. Also, her students who became her friends motivate her to teach from early in the morning until late at night. Lastly, the desire to save for and start another small business keeps her pressing on.

For those who want to prepare for a better tomorrow, teacher Cath Shana shares her advice: “Right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty about the pandemic’s impact on hiring, but there are ways you can stay positive and proactive about job searching during this difficult time. If you are looking to transition to better opportunities or shift to another profession, 51Talk is the best answer for that.”

Indeed, 51Talk has made a tremendous impact on teacher Cath Shana’s life, and she expresses her gratitude for 51Talk, saying, “I am happy to share that 51Talk has been my partner to achieve some of my goals this year. I use my money wisely and I always keep track of my expenses. The platform offered valuable principles for survival and resilience that helped me get through this extremely difficult time. I will be forever grateful to be part of this platform.”

From finding a better teaching opportunity to saving for the future, 51Talk helped teacher Cath Shana to prepare for a brighter tomorrow for her and her family. Her story shows that tomorrow’s success is the result of hard work, persistence, and the humility to learn from failure today. If you want to start preparing for your future, teach at 51Talk today and change your tomorrow for the better.